Kalyn Ponga showed he was tough but the Knights didn’t display too much intelligence in allowing him to remain on the field when he was clearly injured and incapacitated at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night.
The Newcastle star was a passenger after injuring his hip midway through the first half but coach Adam O’Brien kept Ponga on the park and the Roosters capitalised to surge to the lead and went on to win a 22-20 cliffhanger.
Ponga was better but still below his best in the second half but the Roosters powered to victory to consign the Knights to their fourth loss from six starts in 2024.
The Roosters were written off as underdogs after going into the game without captain James Tedesco and Sam Walker due to head knocks and Dominic Young for dishing one out with a high tackle but they improved to a 3-3 record after avoiding a third straight defeat.
wilbas
Roar Rookie
I've never considered restart count after games....yes...why not.. It is so hard to get back 10 metres per tackle and a set has a team breathing hard ,...but to drop 12 tackles and then 15 on a side is impossible to counter...Only a weak attack or fumble can stop a try...I can handle when an error is made the ref pulls the offside caper .
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sister cities !
The Barry
Roar Guru
He’s playing for Newcastle - does that make him a Geordie once removed…?
The Barry
Roar Guru
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Who's down with KPP? Yeah, The Barry! What area of England is he from? Please let him be Geordie by Nature.
Dutski
Roar Guru
And Saifiti was subsequently charged. I don't know how it wasn't a penalty.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Schuster is a star , a shooting star which is heading the wrong way.
Bonza
Roar Rookie
Fair point. Maybe scrap the video, lazy defenders and O'Brien form a circle and then kick the person in front up the backside.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
I think we should contact Dorothy and see if she can hook us up with Wizard of Oz. The knights need a brain, courage and heart. Till then they just keep skipping along in this ridiculous fantasy land.
Joe
Roar Rookie
O'Brien should have taken Ponga off to get needled and put Phoenix Crossland in (instead of saving him for the last 10 mins) so he shouldn't be saying too much to his players. Ponga was the one to make the tackle and couldn't get back up to be at marker allowing Smith to take off in the first place.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Especially when they had Phoenix Crossland on the bench who they then only brought in for the last 10 mins. I think the coaching team should take a lot of blame for that loss for their interchanges last night.
Ellie
Roar Rookie
There's still some fanny's still operating.
Albo
Roar Rookie
And he could create more problems if he actually looked to set up his supports with a pass ! He did it once only for Tupou with a resultant try. Seems he doesn't look to pass it until he can run no further with it ?
Albo
Roar Rookie
Probably get dropped again next week ?
Bonza
Roar Rookie
A word of advice to Elliot, Lucas and a Saif - get to the video session early, grab a seat at the back and keep your head down. Smith waltzing through them to score was a soft try in the the Under 7s and O'Brien will be understandably ask "What the F was that?"
Tony
Roar Guru
:thumbup:
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
True. He is the only one with two brothers who have played in the NRL? ...That's what you meant right? :silly:
Gary Russell-Sharam
Roar Rookie
I picked the Knights in this match, even though I am normally a Roosters supporter. My reason for this is I am vehemently against the return of Jennings. I am normally a bloke that says if you've done the crime you do your time and then if you do your time you should have a chance at redemption. However Jennings has failed in this and should not be given a chance at redemption. On the other matter of Ponga remaining on the field, I'm in agreement with Joey, they should have taken him off immediately. he was a passenger. The Knights lack a good halves pairing and that is obvious watching Ponga as first receiver in the early part of the match, he was used as a halfback most of the time. I know that he is gifted but he is a fullback, I have no doubt that he could play halfback or five eight, but he needs to stay as a fullback to at least give his halves a chance to find their feet, and run off them as a good fullback should do. If they are determined to use this type of play, look to get a gifted full back to replace Ponga and then let him play in the halves. And I agree that the knights need to look for better halves than they have got at the moment.
Tony
Roar Guru
Run metres isn't the only thing that separates Jennings from the rest of the Roosters back 5
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
Roosters back 5 stats... Spot the odd man out. Manu: 29 runs 307m Tupou: 22 runs 232m Suaalii: 19 runs 195m Pauga: 13 runs 124m oh, and Jennings: 8 runs 57m